The last of the Perricone Quads

Ioanna Makri, Beaumont Enterprise

By Ioanna Makris

Updated 5:52 pm, Thursday, January 10, 2013

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets, talks about life in retirement. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Friday afternoon, he took a moment to light up his pipe in the garage and gaze out onto Quad Street, which is a private drive off Walden Road that all his brothers lived on with him. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Friday afternoon, he took a moment to light up his pipe in the garage and unfurl his Italian flag that he proudly displays on his home on Quad Street, which is a private drive off Walden Road that all his brothers lived on with him. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

An old photograph, that was published in the San Francisco Examiner, shows the boys, Anthony, Bernard, Carl and Donald still dressed in their uniforms, arriving in San Francisco on their way home to Beaumont. Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

An old photograph, that was published in the San Francisco...

An old photograph, taken when the boys came home to Beaumont, shows Anthony, Bernard, Carl and Donald still dressed in their uniforms. Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

An old photograph, taken when the boys came home to Beaumont, shows...

Carl Perricone, left, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Friday afternoon, he took a moment to light up his pipe in the garage and unfurl his Italian flag that he proudly displays on his home on Quad Street, which is a private drive off Walden Road that all his brothers lived on with him. His wife of over 40 years, Anne, right, joined him. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, left, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets,...

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Donald Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Donald Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

Anthony Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Anthony Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

Bernard Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Bernard Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone. From the archives of The Enterprise.

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets, talks about life in retirement. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets, talks about life in retirement. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

In one of the home's four bedrooms, framed mementos of his service in WWII adorn the walls. Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

In one of the home's four bedrooms, framed mementos of his service...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets, talks about life in retirement. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

Since one of the hurricanes, Carl Perricone, 83, who is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, had his pool filled in, but still enjoys his smoking room behind him and his back porch for family gatherings. Perricone, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Since one of the hurricanes, Carl Perricone, 83, who is the last of...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Friday afternoon, he took a moment to light up his pipe in the garage and gaze out onto Quad Street, which is a private drive off Walden Road that all his brothers lived on with him. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Friday afternoon, he took a moment to light up his pipe in the garage and unfurl his Italian flag that he proudly displays on his home on Quad Street, which is a private drive off Walden Road that all his brothers lived on with him. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

In one of the home's four bedrooms, framed mementos of his service in WWII adorn the walls. Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. He still has a postcard that was made of all four of the boys together as infants. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

In one of the home's four bedrooms, framed mementos of his service...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets, talks about life in retirement. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who,...

Carl Perricone, 83, is the last of the Perricone quadruplets, who, along with his brothers, garnered fame during the Great Depression as the world's first known set of male quadruplets. Friday afternoon, he took a moment to light up his pipe in the garage and gaze out onto Quad Street, which is a private drive off Walden Road that all his brothers lived on with him. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Smoking a pipe while seated comfortably on a green patio chair in his garage is where you can typically find Carl Perricone.

That is, of course, if Carl, 83, is not out traveling the world.

The sharp, quick-witted Beaumont man was once a bit of a celebrity. He and his three brothers were born on a rainy Halloween in 1929 - the four garnering fame as the world's first known set of male quadruplets.

"Cars were lining the streets to see us," Carl said.

Anthony, Bernard, Carl and Donald - the Alphabet Quads - lived their childhoods largely in the public eye.

More than 600 people streamed through the doors in 1929 to look at the "Miracle Babies," according to Enterprise archives.

The Alphabet Quads were born into a proud Italian family, whose members worked hard for their money but often had little to their name.

Carl, the last of the four, said his family was poor and lived a difficult life, but they were not lacking in love.

"I've had a hard life," he said. "But I am blessed."

Carl retired 25 years ago and lives off of his Social Security, a pension and some money he invested. But he said he still lives comfortably, and still enjoys seeing the world.

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His first overseas adventure came courtesy of the Army.

In 1950, all four brothers were drafted. Carl got orders to go to Korea but agreed to go only if his brothers accompanied him. In the Army, brothers are prohibited from serving in the same unit, but with the help of then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, the Perricones went to Korea together.

When the brothers returned from Korea in 1953, they did so with the intention of never returning.

But in 2010 Carl got a call from dignitaries in South Korea asking for the four brothers to join the South Korean president in a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.

But the quadruplets would not return together. Three of the four had since died.

It was Carl and his wife, Anne, who went instead - a six-day journey that turned into memories now stored in a shadow box hanging on his bedroom wall.

Bitten by the travel bug, the couple currently is preparing for a cruise to Belize. They will leave from Galveston in May and spend a week sight-seeing, relaxing on the ship and even attempting cave tubing.

"Age is here and here," Carl said while patting his head and heart.

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Carl said he and his brothers always remained close.

After they returned from war, the men and their families settled on Quad Lane - a private street on which each of the four men built their own homes. The homes, just off Walden Road, are still occupied by Perricones - descendants of Carl's brothers.

Anthony, Bernard, Carl and Donald celebrated their last birthday all together in 1989.

Bernard died the following year. Donald passed in 1991 and Anthony died in 1998.

And as a fire crackled in his living room Friday morning, Carl said he misses his brothers and parents.

He attributes his longevity to his lifestyle. Anne, who is 16 years his junior, joked that she keeps Carl young.

The couple has been married for more than 45 years.

Anne, who lived down the street from Quad Lane, once baby sat for Carl and his first wife, who had five children together. After Carl's wife passed away, he and Anne began a courtship.

Anne said her love for the kids grew into a love for Carl. So at the age of 18, she married him.

After they were married, Anne gave birth to Carl's sixth child.

The couple's four-bedroom house was crowded with children. But, they say no one minded. It brought them closer together.

The house is quiet now, but quickly comes alive when the couple's 12 grandchildren or six great-grandchildren visit.

Carl, far from the headlines of his youth, relishes now in his time with loved ones and out of the spotlight.